Windows Mobile is falling off a cliff

by Volker Weber

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These were two of my favorite phones ever, both running on Windows Phone 8.1. Then came Windows 10, for the desktop, and the phones were left behind. The Lumia 950/XL were a bag of hurt with their crashing bugs. Then came the Anniversary update, and the phones were still lagging. Now it's time for Creators Update, and Mobile still hasn't caught up. There aren't even any new features to write home about. And it's coming to only 13 devices.

The community is up in arms and they are abandoning the platform in droves. Promoters turn into critics. Many apps have been removed from the store or haven't been updated in a long time.

There always comes a time when you have to realize things didn't pan out as planned. BlackBerry 10 fell off that cliff last year, BlackBerry OS a long time ago. Ubuntu is giving up on their phone, Mozilla gave up last year. Sailfish is always on the brink of bankruptcy.

The winner takes it all. iOS takes the profit, Android takes the market share with many vendors struggling to make a penny. Microsoft has made iOS and Android their platorms of choice for their apps and cloud services.

Windows 10 and macOS, Android and iOS. That's where we are today with user facing O/S. And there is a silent player that is getting stronger: ChromeOS. Windows 10 can run on many things, but as far as the eye can see, it's not going to be phones. The market has rejected it.

Comments

Unfortunately, I agree. PSA, I am gone, you can now turn off the lights. Yes, it is a pity.

Hubert Stettner, 2017-04-06

02/2014 my wife's carrier contract was coming to the end of its duration. By prolongating it she was entitled to a new phone and wanted to check what else could be fun instead of her iPhone. I gave her a used Nokia 625 to play around with. No contest, iPhone it was. And it is not that she didn't try. She asked me a lot of questions and really concerned herself with it. It just wasn't any better. And the complete lack of apps killed it in the end.

Some people haven't got a clue about "the market". They just are "the market". And given a chance to make an informed decision they choose what fits them best. Goodbye, Windows Phone.

Robert Dahlem, 2017-04-06

Or their wife...

Hubert Stettner, 2017-04-06

Seeing friends and ex-colleagues with their constantly crashing Windows Phones while enjoying my iPhone and showing them the beauty of the constantly updated apps.... yes, it is a pity!

Ingo Seifert, 2017-04-07

I have seen an IT company shutting down what remained of their BlackBerry infrastructure at that point and moving users over to Windows mobile.

Users were not happy (they wanted iPhones), IT staff was not happy (they hated supporting the Windows platform while they had a good solution for MDM on iOS devices).

Fast-forwarding... one year later: company shutting down all Windows phones, handing out iPhones to everyone.

Jean Pierre Wenzel, 2017-04-07

It's all about the apps. My iPhone isn't any better and I will go to Android in the near future. Would have loved the Windows Phone, but where are the apps

Cornelius Puiulet, 2017-04-07

Actually, it is about way more than the apps. You will discover. :-)

Volker Weber, 2017-04-07

After knowing iOS very well and loving Windows Phone and then Mobile for many years, I am now diving into Android.

After several days of Android and an Android Wear Smartwatch, I can say the following: For me, the biggest difference is being in an ecosystem which is thriving and fully supported by the vendor (yes, what a change from W10M).

Everybody is going full steam ahead. Possibilities (and risks) are through the roof. On a side note, Android is no OS for the masses, IMO, it is way too fragile, breaks easily and security can be a mess. For a tinkerer like me, however, it is perfect. And no, for me, one size clearly does not fit all. There is no universal solution, however it is iOS for most people.

I take pride in doing educated decisions in this field and recommending people what I see fit for THEM, not for me. I have not recommended W10M since a long time and sent people Android or usually iOS.

And BTT, W10M is right now imploding, it is amazing - not in a good way.

Hubert Stettner, 2017-04-07

The more interesting question is: what happens with the Universal Windows Platform? Without Phone it's not that universal.....

Max Nierbauer, 2017-04-07

I speak as I find, my 950 has never crashed, never given me a problem. It has all the apps I need and is as reliable as a Rolls Royce, that's all.........

Pete Hughes, 2017-04-07

Pete, that's exactly my experience with the Lumia 640 Dual SIM.

Marc Henkel, 2017-04-07

Max, we had this before. Nobody is full in on UWP, not even Microsoft.

Volker Weber, 2017-04-07

@Pete - same here: Very satisfied with my 950 and no problems with crashes, and has all the apps I need.

John Keys, 2017-04-07

@Max part of the UWP stuff is supporting the Xbox platform, especially with the new Project Scorpio device later this year. I expect it will have a keyboard option to bring back the 'off the desk' desktop. Yes, it's mostly designed for games, but it will also be a device built to support the MS AR and VR solutions. If you want a VR solution in the office at a desk or other location, drop one of these there instead of a PC that needs upgrades.

John Head, 2017-04-08

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